Furlough shame

suttonsue

Martin has stated that if furloughed you can't work so there is no shame in going to beaches and generally enjoying yourself. In fact you can work, just not for your employer who furloughed you. I feel that you should try & help in the community, like litter picking (after those who are treating it as a holiday!) or helping in other ways. I disagree with Martin. It's not an automatic holiday.

Grumpy_chap

From the point of view of most employers, if you have furloughed staff you would want them to remain available to return to work if required.  However, why would an employer not want their staff happy and content and enjoying themselves as much as possible while furloughed?  These are miserable enough circumstances for many as it is, without adding additional restrictions unnecessarily (especially if that may contribute to mental health issues).  Employers may also have to restrict annual leave once staff return from furlough - some employers are requiring that annual leave is taken while on furlough.

suki1964

suttonsue said:

Martin has stated that if furloughed you can't work so there is no shame in going to beaches and generally enjoying yourself. In fact you can work, just not for your employer who furloughed you. I feel that you should try & help in the community, like litter picking (after those who are treating it as a holiday!) or helping in other ways. I disagree with Martin. It's not an automatic holiday.

Im kind of guessing you haven't been furloughed?

I have, this is my second week

Am I enjoying it? Heading off to the beaches, sailing around having fun? Am I eck as like

Im totally stressed to the bloody hilt trying to make 80% of SFA stretch a full week, scared that I won't have a job to go back too, and guess who's rate bill of £1800 just landed on the mat???

I cant mind the last time I got more then 4 hours sleep in a night, my BP is becoming totally uncontrollable , Im having palpitations and thats only the half of it

How dare you, how bloody dare you, esp on this board which is for support and help. if you want to have a dig take it to DT

gettingtheresometime

suki1964 said:

suttonsue said:

Martin has stated that if furloughed you can't work so there is no shame in going to beaches and generally enjoying yourself. In fact you can work, just not for your employer who furloughed you. I feel that you should try & help in the community, like litter picking (after those who are treating it as a holiday!) or helping in other ways. I disagree with Martin. It's not an automatic holiday.

Im kind of guessing you haven't been furloughed?

I have, this is my second week

Am I enjoying it? Heading off to the beaches, sailing around having fun? Am I eck as like

Im totally stressed to the bloody hilt trying to make 80% of SFA stretch a full week, scared that I won't have a job to go back too, and guess who's rate bill of £1800 just landed on the mat???

I cant mind the last time I got more then 4 hours sleep in a night, my BP is becoming totally uncontrollable , Im having palpitations and thats only the half of it

How dare you, how bloody dare you, esp on this board which is for support and help. if you want to have a dig take it to DT

The OP is obviously a wind up merchant.....I mean 6 threads in 10 years? Either that or it's an alter ego of a regular who hasn't the courage to post under that name.

Grumpy_chap

@suki1964 - if you are receiving 80% of normal salary, do you make any savings compared to working that help offset the reduction?  For example, no commuting cost, no coffees at work.  Are the general restrictions because of coronavirus forcing reduction in spending elsewhere?  For example no social activities, pub, meals out, gym, or whatever.

By "rates bill", do you mean Council Tax?  It's quite late to have just arrived, but should be payable over the remainder of the tax year normally.

Given that you are finding this all tough right now, it might be sensible to prepare a SoA (statement of affairs) to see if that gives you any ideas for efficiency.  If you don't see anything yourself, then share in the DFW forum for suggestions.

It is important to take care of yourself as well.  Can you have a social chat to a friend over coffee?  Instant coffee in a garden or park will do.  No need to share financial concerns with close friends, just to chat about things in general.  Or consider the GP for support in managing the situation.

gingerdad

suttonsue said:

Martin has stated that if furloughed you can't work so there is no shame in going to beaches and generally enjoying yourself. In fact you can work, just not for your employer who furloughed you. I feel that you should try & help in the community, like litter picking (after those who are treating it as a holiday!) or helping in other ways. I disagree with Martin. It's not an automatic holiday.

To be honest, its none of your business what people do or don't do on furlough, for most people it's hopefully saving their job. As for litter picking - we need societal change to stop people throwing it in the first place. 

justwhat

Get real!!!! 
I am working  with occasional half days/days off . If you are furloughed make the most of your time. Enjoy the moments you have.
Defo don't do things that the gov/council should be doing.  
Yes it is stressful , but just need to work through it. (i am waking up at 5 in morning lol)

suki1964

Grumpy_chap said:

@suki1964 - if you are receiving 80% of normal salary, do you make any savings compared to working that help offset the reduction?  For example, no commuting cost, no coffees at work.  Are the general restrictions because of coronavirus forcing reduction in spending elsewhere?  For example no social activities, pub, meals out, gym, or whatever.

By "rates bill", do you mean Council Tax?  It's quite late to have just arrived, but should be payable over the remainder of the tax year normally.

Given that you are finding this all tough right now, it might be sensible to prepare a SoA (statement of affairs) to see if that gives you any ideas for efficiency.  If you don't see anything yourself, then share in the DFW forum for suggestions.

It is important to take care of yourself as well.  Can you have a social chat to a friend over coffee?  Instant coffee in a garden or park will do.  No need to share financial concerns with close friends, just to chat about things in general.  Or consider the GP for support in managing the situation.

Rates cos Im in NI and in their wisdom they thought holding them back a while would help out. And funnily enough we get discount if we pay in one hit

I don't have commuting costs, I work just 3 .5 miles from my front door and thats in a shed in a field, no shops, no coffees etc

I live in the country, we don't have a social life as such, which is why Ive posted on other threads that Lockdown for me hasn't really changed my life and other then money being tight, its actually quite enjoyable

We will survive this, we have survived a lot worse. We won't go hungry, I know how to make a meal from dust and we have no debt. Mr S went back to work today after 11 weeks so there is light at the end of the tunnel

But yes it is stressful, I cant pretend its not. I seriously can not remember the last time I slept more then 5 hours and even then Im up once or twice and my health is getting worse, not enough to be worrying a GP, but enough for me to know Im struggling

I just lashed out at someone being so totally insensitive and tarring everyone with the same brush. I work for a tiny independent business, 75% of that is supplying the hospitality trade which was wiped out over night. My boss changed his business near enough over night to supplying doorstep deliveries, at first as it was new there were plenty of hours, as we got in our stride and streamlined, hours were cut so he had no option but to let the part timers go on furlough so the full timers got their hours, a decision I totally understand. 

To be told I need to be out litter picking for my money??? I don't know how comes the OP hasn't gone on the benefits board and tell them to go break rocks !!

poppy12345

suttonsue said:

Martin has stated that if furloughed you can't work so there is no shame in going to beaches and generally enjoying yourself. In fact you can work, just not for your employer who furloughed you. I feel that you should try & help in the community, like litter picking (after those who are treating it as a holiday!) or helping in other ways. I disagree with Martin. It's not an automatic holiday.

If you were "litter picking" in the first weeks of lockdown then you were clearly breaking the rules because you shouldn't have been.

suki1964

poppy12345 said:

suttonsue said:

Martin has stated that if furloughed you can't work so there is no shame in going to beaches and generally enjoying yourself. In fact you can work, just not for your employer who furloughed you. I feel that you should try & help in the community, like litter picking (after those who are treating it as a holiday!) or helping in other ways. I disagree with Martin. It's not an automatic holiday.

If you were "litter picking" in the first weeks of lockdown then you were clearly breaking the rules because you shouldn't have been.

Actually you weren't. You just cant do any work for the company that furloughed you. You can still volunteer or find a job elsewhere

Jeremy535897

suki1964 said:

poppy12345 said:

suttonsue said:

Martin has stated that if furloughed you can't work so there is no shame in going to beaches and generally enjoying yourself. In fact you can work, just not for your employer who furloughed you. I feel that you should try & help in the community, like litter picking (after those who are treating it as a holiday!) or helping in other ways. I disagree with Martin. It's not an automatic holiday.

If you were "litter picking" in the first weeks of lockdown then you were clearly breaking the rules because you shouldn't have been.

Actually you weren't. You just cant do any work for the company that furloughed you. You can still volunteer or find a job elsewhere

Interesting thought. "Not an essential journey" trumps the volunteering let-out for furlough though, or did anyway, so dodgy then, but perhaps OK now, but all you litter pickers out there should read the rules carefully as normally you need a waste management licence to deal with other people's rubbish:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relaxing-certain-waste-regulatory-requirements-for-volunteers-and-waste-sites-involved-in-voluntary-litter-collection-rps-212/relaxing-certain-waste-regulatory-requirements-for-volunteers-and-waste-sites-involved-in-voluntary-litter-collection-rps-212